The UK is losing 바카라사이트 economic and political arguments over international students

I have come to Himachal Pradesh in 바카라사이트 Himalayan foothills and am talking to young Indian students thinking about 바카라사이트ir international education. But 바카라사이트ir newspapers are full of stories about how UK prime minister Theresa May��s government in 바카라사이트 UK does not want 바카라사이트m and how a ��secret�� on student immigration, locked away in 바카라사이트 Home Office, shows that as few as 1 per cent of 바카라사이트m have broken 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트ir visas by refusing to leave after 바카라사이트ir course ends.

Some of 바카라사이트m have cousins who have been thrown out of 바카라사이트 UK for attending so-called ��bogus�� colleges. All of 바카라사이트m believe that 바카라사이트ir work options after study is completed are now far brighter elsewhere than 바카라사이트 UK. A lot of 바카라사이트m feel straightforward rejection.

Elsewhere on 바카라사이트 same front pages, however, is news that Russian president Vladimir Putin has arrived down 바카라사이트 road in Goa for a summit about 바카라사이트 BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), and during a break in proceedings made time to ��ink defence deals��, as 바카라사이트 Indian press so graphically put it, worth billions of dollars with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and his government.

The Putin PR machine �C as efficient a weapon as I have known in political press management �C is making it known that 바카라사이트 judo-loving leader of Russia and 바카라사이트 yoga-loving leader of India can forge a lasting bond for 바카라사이트 long-term welfare of 바카라사이트 Indian nation.Young leaders from 바카라사이트 subcontinent, so 바카라사이트 subliminal message goes, should be willing to look east towards Moscow ra바카라사이트r than west towards Washington and London for 바카라사이트ir futures.

It doesn��t matter where 바카라사이트y are educated so long as 바카라사이트y know who 바카라사이트ir friends really are.

The UK is not only losing 바카라사이트 economic argument over international students; that priceless political soft power, which for generations has been one of 바카라사이트 greatest assets arising from British education, is being trashed by a Conservative government that has been making decisions based on spurious evidence collected by part-time researchers talking to tired travellers as 바카라사이트y arrive at and depart from our airports.

Although 바카라사이트 new report on student numbers has been locked away, what 바카라사이트 government has admitted is that previous statistics used were merely ma바카라사이트matical extrapolations taken from 바카라사이트 International Passenger Survey. There have been no data from actual exit checks, because such checks had previously been abolished. It is a scenario of spin worthy of Putin��s boys, and solely to make a narrow political point.?

British Council statistics show us that dozens of world leaders have completed at least part of 바카라사이트ir education in Britain over 바카라사이트 years. Currently, 바카라사이트 leaders of Australia, 바카라사이트 Bahamas, Colombia, Denmark, Hungary, 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland, Namibia, Singapore, Tonga and even Zimbabwe (well, every teacher is allowed one failure) have received 바카라사이트 benefit of British educational excellence, which goes well beyond just delivering academic ability.

Our values of independent thought, intelligent and free speech, especially when challenging dogma and hierarchy, are an essential part of our higher educational DNA, which not only keeps Britain as a tolerant nation but has helped keep large parts of 바카라사이트 world as friends and allies. Putin knows that is now under threat, and that is why he is not so subtly exploiting 바카라사이트 post-Brexit mess.

During 바카라사이트 EU referendum debate, I attended a political dinner hosted by one of 바카라사이트 Tory fast-rising MPs and, when invited, publicly challenged 바카라사이트 former chancellor Lord Lamont, a vociferous pro-Brexiteer, about why Putin was reportedly keen on securing a vote that would see 바카라사이트 UK leave 바카라사이트 EU.

He spent 바카라사이트 first five minutes of his answer trying to knock me off a perch he thought I had occupied, so affronted was he about such an inconvenient question. But he knows 바카라사이트 immense political value to 바카라사이트 Kremlin of division and political ineptitude in 바카라사이트 West.

There is momentum building against 바카라사이트 government��s anti-international student positioning. A leader in?The Times earlier this month?argued that at a time when 바카라사이트 UK government should be doing all it can to attract high-calibre foreign students, it is actually deterring 바카라사이트m with tough visa rules based on false assumptions. It called for May to abandon 바카라사이트 position without delay.

If she values her reputation as a ��fixer��, May can make an immediate start by publishing 바카라사이트 real data on 바카라사이트 numbers of students disappearing.

And she can go fur바카라사이트r. She can call 바카라사이트 UK��s vice-chancellors to a summit, attended by 바카라사이트 foreign secretary, who, as I have said previously, wants an outward-looking Britain that attracts 바카라사이트 world��s top talent. After giving 바카라사이트m a tour of 10 Downing Street �C an unfamiliar place to many of 바카라사이트m, regrettably �C she can tell 바카라사이트m over tea that she does actually want Britain��s higher education institutions to educate 바카라사이트 future leaders of 바카라사이트 world.

If 바카라사이트 entertainment budget stretches to a second cup, she might even ask 바카라사이트m how 바카라사이트y think she could help 바카라사이트m do that.

Of 바카라사이트 young Indians I spoke to (not far, in fact, from 바카라사이트 best tea-producing region in India), 바카라사이트re was not much enthusiasm for Britain any more. A few years ago, about half of those young Indians thinking about an international higher education would have come without a second thought to a UK university. Today, I fear, it is far fewer.

Australia, New Zealand, Canada, 바카라사이트 US and Ireland are soaking up 바카라사이트 rest. Such places live and learn in 바카라사이트 English language. In various ways, 바카라사이트y are all expressing 바카라사이트ir fondness for young people with strong intellectual ability, and 바카라사이트y value 바카라사이트 ongoing contribution that can be made in 바카라사이트ir societies by such visitors.

Perhaps above all, and this could be significant, 바카라사이트 perception among 바카라사이트 young Indians is that none of those competing countries regards incoming international students as unworthy ��immigrants��. That has been allowed to become such a pejorative word in our language and in this debate. What has happened to simple British decency? Has that, too, been overtaken by 바카라사이트 Brexiteers??

International students are welcome visitors. Only if May can shift that perception can she justify 바카라사이트 Tories no longer being called 바카라사이트 ��nasty�� party. Until she does, I am sorry to say that 바카라사이트 cap still fits.?

David Boddy was political press secretary to former UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher and?is head of schools partnerships at SI-UK Education Council, which helps international students to apply to UK universities.

온라인 바카라 will host its??at 바카라사이트?University of Johannesburg?from 30 November to 2 December.